Ling Tian's investiture as the First Honorary Core Disciple overturned the hierarchy within the Sky Cloud Sect. The Sect housed many geniuses, but none had ever demanded and achieved such status with such a low cultivation level.
Grand Elder Xi personally led Ling Tian to his residence. It was not a common disciple dormitory, but a lavish cave dwelling carved directly into the mountain's main Spirit Vein.
"This cave dwelling sits directly atop the Sect's Tier-8 Spirit Vein Branch," Elder Xi explained. "The concentration of spiritual Qi is tenfold that of a normal Core Disciple's residence. Only the Honorary Core Disciple is permitted to use it."
Ling Tian nodded, feeling the pure spiritual Qi rushing into him. Tier-8? Acceptable. This will certainly accelerate the condensation of my Primordial Chaos cultivation.
Elder Xi then handed him two jade tokens:
The Purple Privilege Token: Granting access to all Sect facilities, including the Combat Training Hall, the Pill Refinement Hall, and the Heavenly Rankings Entrance.
The Forbidden Archive Token: Unlocking the gate to the Lower-Tier Forbidden Archive.
"The Forbidden Archive Token is crucial," Elder Xi said seriously. "This Archive holds cultivation techniques and inheritances that are too powerful or too dangerous for ordinary disciples. We grant you Lower-Tier access; do not attempt the Upper-Tier, it is guarded by a Nascent Soul Realm formation."
"I understand," Ling Tian replied, dismissing the warning. Nascent Soul Realm formation? Interesting. But I am not looking for the Sky Cloud Sect's ancient techniques; I am looking for knowledge about the Realms.
The next day, Ling Tian commenced his tour of the facilities, ignoring the awestruck and jealous gazes of the other Core Disciples. He headed straight for the location most interesting to him: The Forbidden Archive Library.
The Library was situated deep beneath the Sect headquarters, guarded by two fully armed Peak Spirit Foundation Elders. When Ling Tian presented the Purple Jade Token, they bowed with stiff reverence.
The interior of the Lower-Tier Forbidden Archive was a maze of stone corridors filled with thick shelves housing scrolls, bamboo slips, and ancient bone books. The spiritual Qi here felt heavy, indicating the age and power of the inheritances within.
Ling Tian didn't look for combat techniques. He headed to the dustiest, least-visited section: The History & Realm Inheritance Section.
There, he found what he was searching for: records detailing cultivation tiers, major powers, and most importantly, information on the Most Ancient Spiritual Cultivation Techniques in the Seven-Heaven Realm.
He sat in a corner, opening a fragile bamboo slip. The record spoke of supreme powers, the Divine-tier Spirit Roots, which were considered mere myths, and the techniques they employed.
The True God Lineage
Ling Tian smirked. The technique he had inherited—the Absolute Immortal Lineage—was vastly more profound than even that legendary True God Lineage.
He absorbed knowledge like a sponge, comparing the sect's inheritances with the Star Emperor's knowledge. For three days, he did not move from his spot.
Finally, Ling Tian found an exceptionally old, unlabeled book, practically merged with the wooden shelf. The moment he opened it, his mind was flooded with ancient information:
"The Seven-Heaven Inheritance Record: On the Nine Supreme Cultivation Realms."
The book detailed the Realms above the Seven-Heaven Realm. It was the roadmap to immortality.
"The Seven-Heaven Realm is merely the land of dust. Above it lies the Nine Immortal Realms..."
Ling Tian closed the book, his eyes blazing. This knowledge was the real power.
His cultivation, boosted by the Spirit Vein Branch, was now reaching a critical point. His Qi Condensation strength could no longer hold the Primordial Chaos energy.
Time to break through. Time for the Spirit Foundation Realm.
"I will return to the cave dwelling for the Spirit Foundation Realm breakthrough. Once I reach that realm, I shall dominate all that is the Seven-Heaven Realm," Ling Tian muttered, his arrogance heavy with intent.
He stood up, leaving the Elders in the Forbidden Archive stunned by his rapid comprehension. He didn't spend months there like other disciples. He simply took what he needed and left immediately to assimilate.